A sustainable urban design approach to adaptive reuse projects in Cape Town

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Abstract

This research is about the spaces between places in urban settings, also referred to as
"Interiorscapes", a term coined by Paul Cooper (2003). These spaces are often
overlooked by developers and urban planners in their vision of the bigger scheme yet
they function as extensions of the habitable spaces in buildings and contribute to the
overall structure and understanding of a place. If disregarded these spaces can
potentially become neglected and derelict inadvertently sanctioning opportunities for
crime. In Cape Town, the proposed developments at the Two Rivers Urban Park in
partnership with the Western Cape Government and the City of Cape Town, offer an
opportunity to explore the inclusion of Interiorscapes in adaptive reuse projects aimed
at creating sustainable commercial urban spaces in Cape Town.
This interpretive qualitative research was conducted by exploring proposals made for
two of the districts within the Two Rivers Urban Park area; (1) Oude Molen Ecovillage,
currently a mixed-use sustainable neighborhood, and (2) the River Club where planning
is currently underway to develop a commercialised recreational hub and tourist
attraction. These sites were identified as study areas as they offer the potential for the
implementation of Interiorscapes in adaptive reuse projects. Using a Grounded Theory
approach, data was collected by interviewing the stakeholders, reviewing the
proposals drawn up for these developments and through observations made when
visiting the sites. Using the principles of New Urbanism, data has been analysed and the
findings are presented as a narrative.
The findings of this research indicate that ultimately the inclusion of Interiorscapes and
all they represent is tied up in politics and economic processes monopolised by
developers. The construct of Interiorscapes becomes a metaphor for the wellconsidered,
well planned, user centered, ‘bottom-up’ design solutions which in the
current context may present as a challenging problem which has no apparent solution.
Recommendations are made for sustainable design alternatives to the current building
and planning practices in Cape Town for adaptive reuse projects through the
introduction of Interiorscapes.